Sources claim feature is ready, but Zuckerberg wants more filters before launch

Facebook
is always tweaking and unveiling new features to lure more users and encourage
them to use the social network more. One of the most common activities for
users of the network is the sharing of photos and video on the site. One thing
that is lacking on Facebook are filters to change those photos, but that will
soon change.

Facebook is planning to add a series of filters to its mobile
application in the coming months to compete with Instagram according to unnamed
engineers on the project. The NYT reports that the filters
feature has been ready for a while now. However, CEO and founder Mark
Zuckerberg has put the launch on hold until the engineers working on the
project can get more filters ready for the service according to the source.

According to those engineers on the project, Facebook will roll the features
out with almost a dozen photo filters. Some of them will reportedly be similar
to the old-fashioned looking filters that are popular with Instagram users.
These filters make the photos look like grainy film and like they were shot
with old lenses. The last new feature Facebook added was the new chat service.

One of the engineers that leaked the details on the filters also said that
Facebook tried to buy Instagram over the summer, but wasn't able to complete
the deal. The NYT reports that Instagram offered no comment on
the rumor. Facebook also offered no official comment. Apparently, Apple will
also be integrating photo filters directly into the next version of iOS
according to code found in the upcoming release. Instagram itself now has eight
million users and has recently raised $7 million in funding for expansion. Why
exactly Facebook was unable to purchase Instagram is unknown.